Fae'th Friday

Ah another week come and gone and what better way to begin the weekend then with some writing. Up until now the pages I had posted were prewritten, in other words I had them written before I started posting them. We will now be drifting into fresh territory. It also means that the writing maybe a little looser. FOr that I apologize but I still hope you like.

The moment Shaden’s rear hit the ground, the Doctor pointed the screwdriver at one of the stone arches. A shower of sparks flew from the symbols and the sparkling light in the middle of the circle disappeared.
“Good thing I brought you along today.” The Doctor said to his screw driver as he flipped it and then placed it in his pocket.

“I guess we won’t have to worry about them coming through this gate again.”

“At least for the next twenty minutes. See the Valsudian technology incorporates nanites to help maintain the equipment. They will have the damage repaired in approximately twenty mins. They are probably the reason why the gates have lasted for so long.”

“Sorry Nan whats…ah never mind, anyway good job chief.” Shaden said while he dusted himself off.

Julie had a look of concern on her face.

“Doctor this isn’t the same gate we first came through”

“No it isn’t, its even better. Come on all I know exactly where we are.”
Shaden answers and motioned for them to follow as he started down a small dirt path that led into a thick forest. The Doctor explained as they walked.

“I assume that destinations are determined by the bearer of the keys. They concentrate on the location they want to go to then hold on to the key and enter the gate. Our friend here obviously had a specific gate in mind when I activated the portal. I our friend here is either more powerful then he lets on or then he knows. In either case he was able to direct the gate to the location he wanted to go. Right now though I am more concerned about where the TARDIS is, who has her and how are we going to get her back.”
“I can answer at least two of those questions for you doctor, the last one is still a work in progress.” Shaden interjected.
“So is that where we are going now? Where the TARDIS is At?” Julie asked. She tried not to trip over the roots and bumps in the makeshift path they were walking down. Shaden walked backwards as they talked.
“No, we are heading to join my crew. If they decide to help then we are golden.”
Julie’s Mouth dropped open.
“If? What do you mean ‘If’? After we just…”
“Look Shaden if you do not want to help us I understand. If you could just point us in the general direction, I am sure we could find it ourselves.” The Doctor stated.
“I am sure you could Chief, but what fun would that be?”
The forest suddenly filled with music. Julie stopped to listen to the tune. The music was being played on a lone mandolin and it was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard. The music also made the two men stop.
“Ah, that would be the Crew, come on.”
Shaden bounded off the path and down a wooded slope nearby. The Doctor and Julie bounded right behind him. The music stopped as the trio broke through a line of bushes at the bottom of the slope. The three were now in a clearing where campfire burned and three cots were laid out around it. Shaden looked around as if he lost something.
“Bernard you can come out from behind that boulder. Donna-Lé you can jump down from that tree, it’s just me Shaden and a couple of guests.”
There was a rustling noise that came from behind a large boulder that was on the right side of the camp site. A green humanoid about four feet tall with very large pointy ears appeared from behind the boulder and proceeded to take a seat on it. Julie could see the firelight reflect off his large round brown eyes. His round face was accented by a long pointy beard that went half way down to his pot belly. He had a very ornate mandolin which hung down at his waist by a strap that came across his neck. He was dressed in clothing resembling a picture of a bard Julie had seen in a Dungeons and Dragons book she had read sometime ago. The bard happened to also be missing his left arm.
“Sorry Shade though you were more Noc. Forest appears to be crawling with them and worst.”
“How do you know they aren’t Noc?”
The question came from a large oak tree that bordered the left side of the camp. A figure held a large bow as it jumped to the ground from a high branch above the group. As the person landed their bow and the three arrows that were pointed at the group never wavered and there was no sound from the landing. It was a female elf, Julie recognized the race from one of the fantasy novels she occasionally read.
The female elf was six feet tall with shoulder length silver hair that seemed to shimmer in the firelight. Her face was perfectly symmetrical while her steel blue eyes sharply contrasted her pale white skin. She was dressed in black leather armor with a black belt around her waist that held three sheathed daggers. The bow she had seemed to be a very plain long bow with a single red jewel embedded in the front of it. Julie looked down and saw the jewel was emitting a tiny red light against her chest. The jewel light reminded Julie of a laser sight on a gun.
“Come on Points do we have to do this everytime?” Shaden asked as he flopped his hands to his side. The elf drew the arrows back a small bit and leaned in to tighten her aim.
“Ok, Ok, The hawk flies at night while the owl sits and waits. A mouse sits on the ground, each bird holds the rodents fate.”
The elf Shaden referred to as Donna-Lé lowered her weapon and took a seat on a log that served as a sitting place next to the fire. She sheathed her arrows into the quiver on her back as she slung the bow around her shoulder. She never took her eyes off the trio, even as she warmed her hands to the fire.
“Who are they?” She asked with a nod towards the Doctor and Julie.
“They, my dear, are potential customers so I suggest you play nice.”
The three moved near the fire so they too could enjoy the warmth. The Sun was just getting behind the trees and the temperature had begun to drop.
“Now then I will give you the skinny on these two. The fine gentleman in the long coat is The Doc….is Doc. The pair of brown eyes next to him is Julie his…travel partner.”
“Hello,” the Doctor said with a nod as he took a seat on a small rock next to Shaden. Julie also nodded.
“My apologies good sir and madam, it is hard to tell nowadays friend or foe. There are creatures who call this woods home that have the ability to pose as both. I am Donna-Lé. Please Miss Julie, you may have a seat next to me, there is plenty of room.”
“Thanks” Julie took a seat next to elf. She thought she felt the elf actually move closer to her but shook it off as she warmed her hands by the campfire.
“And I am Bernard the Bard, at your service sir and m’lady.” The green man said as he stood on the boulder and bowed before he dropped back to sit on the boulder.
“A bard, so it was your beautiful music we heard earlier?” Julie asked. She thought she saw a hint of red in the cheeks of the troll’s very green face.
“You are too kind m’lady. If I may, I would love to play you another lovely tune. It is one that Shade taught me.”
Julie bowed her head in approval. She wanted to see just how a one arm bard could play the mandolin. Her question was immediately answered, for as Bernard started to finger the cords, the mandolin strummed itself.
Girl…you’ll be a woman soon…
Julie suddenly felt the overwhelming urge to begin to dance. Her head became foggy and could not tell exactly what she was doing. The Doctor could see very well what Julie was doing on the other hand. Bernard continued the song as Donna-Lé ‘s eyes were locked on Julie.
Love you so much, cant count all the ways
Id die for you girl, and all they can say is
Hes not your kind…

Julie danced seductively as the music played. She moved her hand up her body and seemed to be rather enjoying it. The Doctor was about to protest but was stopped short by a rock that seemed to fly out of nowhere and hit Bernard in the head. The hit knocked the troll back behind the boulder he had been sitting on. Julie snapped out of her trance and looked down at her hand, which appeared to have a rather firm grasp on her chest. She had the feeling as if someone had just caught her coming out of the shower naked. She immediately took a seat by the Doctor. Donna-Lé grabbed her blanket and put it over Julie’s shoulders.
“I am sorry about that m’lady. It has been a while since Bernard has had an audience. He does get carried away. “
“That is one way of putting it. He’s lucky I don’t punch his lights out.” Julie threatened as she shot daggers with her eyes at the Troll, who rubbed the large red knot on his forehead as he came around from behind the boulder.
“I believe Shade took care of that for you already my dear. I do apologize. It was rude of me. I forget the affect that song has on most folk.”
“Just don’t let it happen again.”
“Perhaps we should leave. Thank you so much for your hospitality but I am sure we will be capable of finding our missing item on our own.” The Doctor stated as he stood up with Julie following suit.
“No don’t be like that Chief. We are rough around the edges but I am on the up and up when I say we are the best skilled in the profession of stealing. Please have a seat.”
The Doctor paused for the moment and decided to give the crew one more chance. His curiosity had gotten the better of him. Shaden was truly an interesting character and definitely seemed out of place for the planet he was on. The Doctor also knew if the Rani were to find them, he would be their best defense against her.
“Speaking of skills, I believe it is good time to talk about compensation for the lending of our skills to your master plans. It has been a while.”
“A month and a half “ Donna-Lé chimed in as she sat close to Julie. A little too close for Julie’s comfort, though she had to admit Donna-Lé smelled the best out of the three.
“Please Berno, D.L., must we talk about this now. We can settle the dust on the matter later, right now I would like to talk about our new job. Now these fine folk have been involuntarily relieved of their spac…sculpture.”
“A sculpture?” Donna-Lé asked in surprise as her hand moved to Julie’s knee.
Shaden looked at the Doctor with wide eyes as if saying ‘help me out here’. The Doctor smiled back and spoke up.
“Yes, you see I am a sculptor and I was asked by a rather wealthy gentleman to create a large sculpture for his garden. Due to the cost of the thing to be created, the man was kind enough to pay up front for all the materials I needed. Needless to say it was stolen before I could deliver the item to him. Now he thinks there never was a sculpture and that I am cheating him out of his money. Should I fail to return it to him in the next couple of days he will seek compensation in other forms. Those forms being my head and my assistant becoming his slave.”
The Doctor waited to see their reaction. He was rather pleased at the tale he just wove and in fact nearly convinced himself the story was true. Bernard had since pulled out a pipe and puffed on it while Donna-Lé had pulled out her dagger and sharpened it with a sharpening stone. Both stared at the Doctor for twenty seconds not saying a word. Then Bernard turned to Shaden.
“So what’s in this for us?”
Donna-Lé’s head whipped over to Shaden and the two now stared at him. His eyes got big and there was a long pause during which the only thing heard was the fire. Julie was not sure if the crackling noise was coming from the fire or from Shaden’s brain as he tried to think of something to say. Shaden’s face went back to normal and he spoke.
“Well not only would you be rewarded with the jolly good feeling of helping your fellow man but…”
“You will get paid in gold and jewels.” The Doctor finished the sentence for Shaden.
“Really?” The elf and the troll asked at the same time.
“Really?” Shaden asked in surprise.
“Really. Some of the finest riches that you could not find anywhere else in all of Fae’th.” Julie added as she stood up and walked over to Shaden. She continued.
“Diamonds as clear as spring water…” , She walked over to the elf, turning her backside to the troll. She bent over so she was eye to eye with Donna-Lé
“…and Saphires as blue as your eyes.”
The elf licked her lips as she stared straight back at Julie while Bernard was focused on the part of Julie that had suddenly presented itself to him. After he took a long hard look at Julie’s rear, he hopped up on the boulder.
“Right I’m in!” the troll said enthusiastically.
“Me too!” the elf said with equal emotion as she stood to her feet.
Julie smiled, spun on her heals and took her seat next to the Doctor. The three thieves grouped together by the boulder to whisper amongst each other about what Julie had just stated. The Doctor and Julie took the opportunity to do their own whispering.
“Don’t you think that was a bit much”
“Not at all Doctor, that’s my character, the sultry, kick-ass, warrior from space.”
“Ah I see, though I don’t remember ever reading about that class in the Dungeon and Dragons guides.”
“That’s because you didn’t read the expansion set” Julie smiled and the Doctor met it with one of his own. The group of thieves were also done conversing. Donna-Lé and Bernard started to pack up the various camp items. Shaden walked over to the Doctor and Julie.
“Right we have to break camp and start now if we wish to make it to the Dirty Hog before nightfall.”
“The Dirty Hog is where my sculpture is being kept?” The Doctor asked,
“No the Dirty Hog is where we will find the person who knows the person who can tell us where your sculpture is being held at. Though I have my suspicions about its location, I have to be sure before going there.” Shaden replied as he poured dirt on the fire.
“Ah sounds simple enough. What exactly is the Dir…”
The Doctor stopped in mid sentence as he could feel the presence of the Rani. Shaden and the Elf also stood frozen. All three looked towards the direction of the thick woods behind the camp. It was also in the direction of the Fairy gate.
“I think we should head down the rabbit hole.” Donna-Lé stated without taking her eyes off the woods. She readied her bow with an arrow in one fluid motion.
“We aren’t all going to be able to fit in there.” Bernard informed.
“We don’t have to. Berno take Doc and Blue eyes here into the rabbit hole. Donna-Lé, do what you do best.” Shaden directed in a calm cool voice.
The troll grabbed Julie and the Doctor by their arms.
“This way please sir and m’lady.”
The Doctor and Julie followed the Troll as they hurried thirty feet out from the camp. Bernard reached down and took hold of a mushroom. He lifted up on the mushroom to reveal a hidden hiding hole that had been covered with a lid that was disguised to look like the rest of the forest floor. The Doctor jumped in and was surprised at how deep it was. He could nearly stand straight up in it. Julie and Bernard joined the Doctor into the hole and the lid closed on top of them. Julie crawled up the sloping wall and peaked out of a crack in the lid in time to see Donna-Lé gracefully jump and disappear into the branches of a tree. Shaden stepped into a tree’s shadow and pulled his disappearing act as the air filled with the sound of dog howls.